Branding an Entire City? Town of Mayo Teams With Kraft-Heinz for New Name

We consider ourselves huge foodies here at Promo Marketing, so we have never needed to decide whether to give our allegiance to mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, as we would gladly gorge on both. In fact, any grub-related news can stimulate our stomachs, but if we were to stick to the debate on which of the above products is better, we would probably find ourselves quite excited in Mayo, Fla. The only municipality in the Sunshine State’s Lafayette County is earning some press and up to $25,000 for having renamed itself Miracle Whip, with the Kraft-Heinz Company using the experiment to further the distinction between its product and the overall sauce/dressing.

In aligning itself with the town of barely 1,200, the world’s fifth-largest food-and-beverage company has found itself reminded that one cannot please all people all the time, as some individuals have questioned the motivation behind the campaign and others have inquired about the legality involved in keeping the temporary name change from residents. With respect to the excitement and the reproach, the aforementioned sum stands to come to the town to fund beautification efforts. The payout could be up to five times as large as that which Milford, Delaware received when it teamed with Domino’s for promotional potholes, and, therein, lies an interesting gray area. Accounts of the partnership, which the duo kicked off Saturday via a picnic—complete with Miracle Whip-infused foods—have critiqued City Council’s decision to have a closed session to discuss the specifics.

We have long heard that “Every man has his price,” and we could certainly see how, even in the name of marketing fun, someone could alter that to say “Every town.” Mayo, like any other location, could use a financial shot in the arm, so its decision to align itself with Miracle Whip should prove an aesthetic win, as it will receive at least $15,000. Is it sacrificing anything, though, from a moral perspective by doing so?

“If this is all supposed to be a big joke perpetuated on residents, I expect they probably violated the law to pull it off,” First Amendment Foundation president Barbara Petersen said of the marketing move USA Today twice called a “prank.” “I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but, seriously, I don’t think they thought this through.”

What is your take on the interaction between Mayo and Kraft-Heinz? Are the marketing renown and the eventual financial boon that each expects to experience able to counter the blowback that Mayor Ann Murphy and her legislative peers have received for possible violation of Florida’s open meeting laws? Even if any investigation were to prove no culpability, do you approve of the alliance between the town and Kraft-Heinz from a marketing point of view?